Iran cracks down on contentious pop music video with arrests

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The arrests come as Iranian social media has been awash with criticism of popular underground Iranian singer, “Sasy,” or Sasan Heidari Yafteh's, new music video. Hours before the video went live late Wednesday, Iranian security forces detained two popular music arrangers who worked on the video in the southern city of Shiraz and raided their studio, said Sasy’s manager, Farshid Rafe Rafahi, the CEO of Los Angeles-based EMH Productions. “Sasy's mission isn't to create havoc, it's to make people happy.” Semi-official news agencies in Iran confirmed several arrests on Wednesday, alleging that Sasy’s associates in Iran had produced music “contrary to culture.” The Fars news agency, believed to be close to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard also accused the music producers in Iran of running gambling websites at Sasy’s behest. Iranian semi-official news agencies reported that those who “cooperated with Sasy” would would face “decisive judicial action.” It remains uncertain whether police also detained any of the lip-syncing fans.